HHS Releases New Global Health Strategy
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Jan. 5 released its first Global Health Strategy at a forum sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation. In a world where the flow of people and goods stretch across the globe, our only chance to keep Americans safe is if the system for preventing, detecting, and containing disease stretches across the globe,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We can no longer separate America’s health from global health.”
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Continued uncertainty with regard to the adequacy of reimbursement for Medicare physician services hampers the ability of pathologists to manage their practices and of laboratories to invest in critical patient care services and technologies. Consequently, the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) urges its entire membership to contact their representatives in Washington to call on Congress to fix flaws in the Medicare reimbursement update process.
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As 2011 drew to a close, the House of Representatives and Senate were still at odds over the payroll tax bill, which just also happened to be Congress’ vehicle to provide relief from the impending 27.4 percent cut in Medicare physician reimbursement rates and TC Grandfather provision. However, at the eleventh hour, Congress found a compromise to maintain present Medicare physician payment rates.
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ASCP has made a Commitment to Action at the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America Meeting in Chicago to alleviate the shortage of laboratory professionals. Expanding the Laboratory Workforce for the 21st Century is a five-year ASCP commitment to expand the capacity of the clinical laboratory workforce in the state of New York, with implications for future similar initiatives across the nation.
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